Search and rescue operations in villages recently hit by a massive landslide in Naga City, Cebu, were temporarily stopped on Saturday because of bad weather, according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC).
Edgar Posadas, NDRRMC spokesman, confirmed that the retrieval operations were halted, as reported by the Office of Civil Defense in Central Visayas.
Posadas said he received the confirmation that the operations were discontinued at past 10 a.m. on Saturday.
“We have to take into consideration the safety of the responders as well because of the inclement weather and, [when] the weather improves, the operations will resume immediately,” he told The Manila Times in a phone interview.
An earlier radio report said the retrieval operations were ordered stopped by local authorities to enable residents to get their belongings inside ground zero.
Lt. Gen. Paul Atal, commander of the Armed Forces of the Philippines’ Cebu-based Central Command, said three additional volunteer teams have been deployed to assist in the operations.
Posadas, meanwhile, reiterated that the operations were only stopped briefly and would resume once the weather, he said, “turned out good.”
Later in the day, he announced that authorities had stopped the search and rescue operations because of thunderstorms in the area.
“They [responders] tried resuming from 1 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. but [the operations were] stopped again because of heavy rains. Also, those residents leaving near the roads were allowed from 11 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. to go back to their homes and get their things… escorted by the [members of the Philippine National Police],” he said in a text message to reporters.
By 3 p.m. Saturday, according to Posadas, the retrieval operations had resumed.
In a situational report on Saturday, the NDRRMC said 29 died, seven were injured and 57 were missing.
A total of 897 families or 2,836 individuals who were affected are staying in evacuation centers — Naga Central Elementary School, Enan Chiong Activity Center, Naalad Elementary School, Apo Cement Gymnasium and Naga National High School.
Assistance
President Rodrigo Duterte extended financial and housing assistance to the families of the landslide victims .
Duterte visited the victim’s families on Friday and offered his sympathies and support, according to his top aide Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go.
“President Duterte mentioned that he has directed NHA (National Housing Authority) General Manager [Marcelino] Jun Escalada and HUDCC (Housing and Urban Development Development Coordinating Council) Chair Ed Del Rosario to immediately visit the City of Naga, and to coordinate with Cebu Gov. [Hilario] Jun Davide [3rd] and Naga Mayor Kristine Chiong for the provision of housing for the victims,” Go said in a statement.
“President Duterte also directed concerned agencies to ensure that the medical needs of the victims are attended to, and funeral/burial assistance to all the victims are provided,” he added.
A landslide on Thursday buried 30 houses in Barangay Naalad and Sitio Sindulan in Barangay Tinaan, Naga City in Cebu province.
Based on the report of the Department of Social Welfare and Development as of 6:30 p.m. on Friday, Go said the death toll has reached 32.
At least 18 persons were injured and 47 were missing.
In his visit to Cebu, Go said Duterte gave P20,000 to each family that lost their loved ones and P10,000 to those injured in the landslide.
He said the DSWD was also expected to give P25,000 to the families of those who died. The families who lost their homes in the landslide will also be provided with food packs and other relief goods.
The Department of Health would also provide round-the-clock medical assistance as well as psychosocial and stress debriefing to the landslide victims, Go added.
With a report from Catherine Valente